IMANE

Issue Date: January 1-15, 2010, Posted On: 1/8/2010
Women’s Forum Is Just What the Doctor Ordered By JEN RICHMAN
Wondering if there's much diversity among medical professionals in the region? The Indian Medical Association of New England's resurgent Women's Forum is proof there is. About 100 women doctors of South Asian origin gather several times per year to discuss current medical topics with their peers in what is described by more than a few as a nurturing environment. Dr. Manju Sheth, the group's co-founder, acknowledges her membership to IMANE is beneficial, but said she sees the need for a place apart from larger IMANE society for women to gather to discuss matters most meaningful to them. "Women always need their own time with women," she said. IMANE delivers on its commitment to its members through medical education seminars and lecture programs, and staffs and sponsors free health clinics in Waltham and Shrewsbury. The IMANE Women's Forum opens the door for informal discussion about not only health-related topics, which still remain a major focus of the meetings, but also on issue such as the multiple responsibilities competing for a woman medical professional's time, said Sheth. The forum meets once every two or three months for a few hours at a stretch. Meetings are informal enough for members to benefit from the feedback of others who share similar cultural backgrounds and work-related stressors. Although Sheth estimates that there are about 100 members of the Women's Forum, she said it is rare for more than about half to attend any individual meeting. The smaller numbers keep the sessions cozy and relaxed. Typically, an hour-long chat over tea about the profession's pressing issues is followed by a guest lecture. Dr. Mohani Malhotra, a cardiologist, frequently organizes round table discussions, as well. The group is a "platform if you're having issues," a place where sensitive topics can be discussed "without [any member] being judged, no strings attached," said Dr. Deepa Jhaveri, co-chairwoman of the Women's Forum. When the Indian cultural expectation of respecting one's elders proved a hindrance in properly advising some of her older patients, Jhaveri found needed assertiveness in the advice of her fellow forum members, she said. At times, the group veers towards matters that affect both themselves and their patients, according to Sheth. One such recent topic was plastic surgery. "No one wants to go under the knife," Sheth said. So, Sheth and Jhaveri recruited cosmetic and laser surgery specialist Dr. Sonal Pandya from the Lahey Clinic to talk about non-invasive cosmetic procedures. Sheth says she has a huge patient population at Lynnfield Primary Care, where she works as a doctor of internal medicine. "I think we are more accepted now," Sheth said of South Asian women doctors. "The South Asian population is expanding so much • when the community becomes so big, their needs also swell," she said. If anything, the challenge with being a South Asian woman in the medical profession has more to do with everyday demands associated with being a South Asian woman, especially one living in the United States. Children, especially, place time demands on women doctors whose jobs already demand much of them, Sheth said. Sheth sees what she as a "reverse trend" developing in the United States where the elderly parents of Indian Americans are moving to the country in huge numbers to access U.S. hospitals and health care as they grow infirm and require more medical attention. Numerous women's forum members have parents who fall into this category, according to Sheth. One Women's Forum member said she did not know where to start in terms of keeping the various strands of her life from becoming entangled — work and a newly expanded family sometimes seemed overwhelming. But talking through such issues helps, Sheth said. Sheth says because the group's membership encompasses two minority groups, discussions include the challenges of being women in the still somewhat male-oriented field of medicine and being South Asian and living in the United States. But because members are set apart from their peers by their double minority status, the Women's Forum group enjoys strong cohesion. The group, originally launched in 2003 or 2004, re-launched in October 2008 after a period of inactivity, according to Jhaveri. The first incarnation of the Women's Forum had about 10-15 members, but both the number of women doctors and their level of participation is far greater today, Jhaveri said. Jhaveri's involvement in the Women's Forum even played into her home-buying decision, she said. Jhaveri and her husband moved from Norwood to Lynnfield in part because several forum members, including Sheth, are from the Lynnfield area, she said. Sheth said she will meet with Saheli, a women's community advocacy group and an affiliate of Indian Association of Greater Boston, next month, to discuss ways the groups might interact. Sheth said she hopes the women's forum and Saheli will be "very, very productive" together. The idea of a collaboration with Saheli arose from talks between Sheth and Jhaveri, who are interested in providing forum members with an outlet to perform social work in the community, said Sheth. "It brings about a kind of satisfaction that is hard to achieve through most other means," including practicing medicine, Sheth said. Jhaveri said she hopes some collaborative initiative will take place by 2011. Sheth said, based on the enthusiastic feedback and high level of participation, she expects the IMANE Women's Forum will continue to serve a much-needed role for South Asian women doctors for some time to come. "Looking back, we really underestimated the need for such a forum," she said.

	Our upcoming meeting is on June 6 . For more info -iwfmd@yahoo.com
	On October 5 2008, IMANE's Women's Forum was relaunched under the leadership of Dr Manorama Mathur, Dr. Mohani Malhotra, and Dr. Prema Ramdev. This was a very productive meeting wherein dynamic women physicians from diverse specialties across the New England region presented their ideas & needs over a lovely lunch meeting hosted at the home of Dr. Bhanu Gandhi.osted at the home of Dr. Bhanu Gandhi. Some of the ideas presented for the forum include: helping with social causes related to women, linking with organizations working with women in this area, fundraising, networking with other women physicians, promoting Indian culture, developing a support system, and empowering women to be achievers . Drs. Manju Sheth & Deepa Jhaveri were nominated as Co-Chairs. Dr. Mohani Malhotra was nominated as the Moderator for the group. The group intends to meet every 3-4 months . All women physicians are encouraged to join the forum. For inquires, please email: Dr. Sheth at manjusheth@hotmail.com Dr. Jhaveri at drdeepajhaveri@yahoo.com

Pictures from IWF meetings.